This Photograph
by Klaristar
Summary: Caroline's lost the feeling of having a purpose, Klaus is determined to change her mind and set her free. Set in NOLA. Set 5 years after S6, canon divergence.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any of the show characters._

 _A/N: So there's a few things you should keep in mind going into this. I've only seen the first couple of episodes of TO, so consider anything from TO to be erased in this story because I don't know the details. Hope/Hayley SL doesn't exist and Freya/Marcel will likely be OOC because I haven't really experienced their characters more than snippets here and there on Twitter/Tumblr. There are tons of stories that focus on the build up of KC, but I'd rather explore them as a couple including their ups and downs and Caroline's integration into the Mikaelson mob. :)_

 _Warnings:_

 _1) If you love the Salvatores, my stories won't be for you because I usually kill them or get rid of them somehow in anything I write because they're completely pointless to me._

 _2) If you object to changes in canon to suit my purposes, probably not for you either._

 _3) I have the first 10 or so chapters written already, they just need to be edited, so I likely won't take any requests or changes into account until after that point._

 _Otherwise if it's not for you, there are plenty of other stories out there to try._

 _I haven't posted any multi-chapter stories for years so please be kind :)_

* * *

 **THIS PHOTOGRAPH**

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

 _Set five years after season 6 and nothing else from canon happened except no sleeping beauty SL for Elena…_

* * *

Caroline couldn't believe she was doing this. She didn't even really _like_ Rebekah - she rolled her eyes at her own inability to stop caring about people, even the ones who didn't really deserve it. She snuck through the compound then finally picked up Rebekah's scent. She followed it into the most fabulous closet that Caroline had ever seen then spotted the original girl mulling over shoes.

"Hey." Caroline greeted and Rebekah whirled where she stood and arched a brow at her.

"Well, well." Rebekah said intrigued. "What brings you here?" She asked and Caroline sighed.

"I have no idea." Caroline muttered.

"Does Niklaus know you're here?" Rebekah asked curiously.

"No, I snuck in." Caroline replied amusing Rebekah.

"Well, the defences on this place are clearly rubbish." Rebekah quipped.

"Yeah, nobody who saw me even stopped me." Caroline agreed.

"I'll sort that." Rebekah remarked, stepping up to her. "So?" She asked expectantly and Caroline sighed.

"I was in a vampire bar in LA and I overheard this group of vampires plotting." Caroline began surprising Rebekah. "They were talking about you." She advised and Rebekah stared at her, a bit shocked that Caroline had come to tell her that.

"What was the plot?" Rebekah asked.

"Wouldn't you rather just read it so you don't have any doubts that I'm trying to distract you?" Caroline held out her hand and Rebekah smirked.

"I'm not Nik. Distracting me wouldn't work and I can tell when someone's lying. You're not." Rebekah observed surprising Caroline.

"Alright, this woman called Estelle Lamont was rallying this group spouting a bunch of lies about you." Caroline explained surprising Rebekah.

"Estelle, eh? I poached her husband a century ago. She's never gotten over it." Rebekah smirked and Caroline snickered at Rebekah's antics. "How do you know they're lies?" She queried.

"You might be a total bitch but even _you_ are not capable of torturing and murdering a child." Caroline pointed out and Rebekah looked taken aback.

"That's what she's saying about me?" Rebekah asked appalled.

"Yeah, she was saying that you killed her child and she's finally found a way to kill you." Caroline repeated.

"Bitch." Rebekah retorted annoyed.

"Hell hath no fury and whatever." Caroline quipped and Rebekah chuckled.

"True." Rebekah agreed amused. "What's the way to kill me?" She queried and Caroline opened her bag then pulled out a stake and Rebekah stiffened seeing the pale white oak wood as she watched Caroline like a hawk.

"Let's just say, I've gotten pretty good at being stealthy." Caroline said, holding out the stake to her and Rebekah took it, still watching her.

"Do you know if this was the only one?" Rebekah asked with furrowed brows.

"Yeah, she was telling the group that she had to do a witch like fifty favours to get that from her because it was the last one or something." Caroline agreed.

"Why did you do this?" Rebekah asked, still with furrowed brows.

"Figured you'd want a head's up that someone's plotting." She shrugged.

"No, I mean why do you care if I'm dead?" Rebekah asked bluntly and Caroline sighed with an eye roll.

"Because maybe if things had been different, we could have been friends." Caroline said and Rebekah stared at her. "We're not that different after all." She admitted and Rebekah considered that, knowing that the young vampire had a point. "Anyway." Caroline gave her a nod and turned to leave.

"Wait." Rebekah bid and Caroline turned back to look at her in surprise. "Where are your friends?"

"I don't have any." Caroline refuted surprising Rebekah then Caroline turned and walked out of the room while Rebekah stared at the stake knowing that Caroline could have given it to anyone, could have kept it for herself, could have let Estelle kill her… but she didn't.

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XXXXX

* * *

Caroline was almost out of the side door where she'd snuck in when Rebekah appeared in front of her and Caroline looked at her curiously.

"Let's go for a drink." Rebekah suggested and Caroline considered that then gave her a nod.

"I could drink." Caroline smirked and Rebekah flashed her a wicked smile.

"Maybe many drinks." Rebekah accepted amused.

* * *

XXXXX

* * *

Klaus was wandering down Bourbon Street when he happened to glance into a bar and saw Rebekah there. He stopped a bit surprised to see her in a bar with a cocktail then he saw a blonde head sitting next to her and he froze - he would recognise every inch of her anywhere.

He was walking into the bar without a second thought then paused to take a deep breath when he finally saw her face before walking forward to the booth and they both looked up. Rebekah rolled her eyes while Caroline's expression remained neutral.

"What are you doing here?" Klaus asked intensely with furrowed brows looking a bit constipated amusing Rebekah as it was _visibly_ difficult for him to be in Caroline's presence.

"Just catching up with Rebekah." Caroline replied and Klaus arched a brow at her.

"And since when do you do that?" Klaus queried.

"Since now apparently." Caroline answered amusing Rebekah.

"What's going on?" Klaus asked confused.

"Estelle had a white oak stake." Rebekah informed him and Klaus looked stunned.

"What do you mean 'had'?" Klaus asked seriously.

"Caroline stole it from her." Rebekah smirked and Klaus looked at Caroline surprised.

"She was planning to kill Rebekah?" Klaus tested.

"Mmhmm." Caroline nodded then sipped her cocktail.

"And?" Klaus pushed impatiently.

"And Caroline gave it to me." Rebekah said deviously and Klaus deadpanned at Caroline.

"What? She's not likely to lose her wolfie temper and kill you unlike some people. Don't be a worry wart." Caroline quipped and Rebekah chuckled while Klaus rolled his eyes.

"Where is it? It will have to be destroyed." Klaus said to Rebekah pointedly.

"Don't worry about it, I'll destroy it later." Rebekah waved her hand unconcerned.

"Don't _worry_ about it?" Klaus asked incredulously.

"You should be more worried about the security in your compound. I walked in, walked past people and nobody stopped me to ask what I was doing there. I got into Rebekah's closet room without any issue." Caroline commented and Klaus looked displeased to hear that.

"While you are always welcome any time, love, that's rather disconcerting." Klaus said dissatisfied as he took a seat across from Caroline.

"I'm going to LA to kill Estelle and her lot, by the way." Rebekah remarked and Klaus arched a brow at Caroline.

"What were you doing in LA?" Klaus asked nosily.

"I was taking care of some business." Caroline replied vaguely.

"What business?" Rebekah asked nosily as well and Caroline shot her an amused look.

"I met with a witch in Vegas and she needed something in LA, so we had a deal." Caroline shrugged and they stared at her.

"When did you leave Mystic Falls?" Klaus asked confused.

"Three years ago." Caroline answered surprising them both.

"Why?" Klaus asked, super nosy about her vagueness.

"Felt like it." Caroline shrugged and he deadpanned at her.

"Since when are you so obtuse?" Rebekah asked confused and Caroline chuckled.

"Since I'm not a stupid teenager anymore and I understand keeping my mouth shut." Caroline replied and they both shot her amused looks for that.

"What did the witch want in LA?" Klaus pushed, wanting more information.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Caroline smirked and he deadpanned again amusing her.

"What did you want from the witch?" Klaus pushed.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Caroline repeated amused making Rebekah chuckle while Klaus crossed his arms over his chest.

"I thought honesty was our thing?" Klaus arched a brow at her.

"And I haven't lied, have I?" Caroline countered and he looked unimpressed.

"Did Estelle see you?" Klaus asked pointedly.

"No, Klaus, I'm not stupid. I didn't talk to her or any of her buddies. I just stole the stake when they weren't looking because they were too cocky for their own good and thought they were too big a group to be robbed." Caroline replied bluntly making him smirk with a little bit of pride.

"How many vampires were with her?" Rebekah queried.

"I saw her talking to seven of them. I don't know if there were more." Caroline replied.

"When was this?" Klaus tested.

"Six days ago." Caroline responded.

"Then how do you know that Estelle's still in LA?" Klaus arched a brow at her.

"I don't." Caroline shrugged. "But I did also take this." Caroline advised then pulled out a necklace from her bag. "It's Estelle's so you can track her if you want." She stated then put the necklace on the table and they both stared at her.

"Estelle is older than Katerina was." Klaus said with furrowed brows. "How did you manage to rob her?"

"Because a) she and her group were wasted and b) doesn't matter how old someone is, their neck will still snap." Caroline smirked and he shot her an amused look for that as did Rebekah.

"Where are your friends?" Klaus queried.

"Don't have any." Caroline shrugged one shoulder with a neutral expression that gave nothing away and he stared at her.

"Do you have it off?" Klaus tested and she chuckled.

"Been there, done that, didn't agree with me." Caroline denied and he cocked his head to the side and was watching her confused while Rebekah was kind of entertained by how confused he looked by Caroline's nonchalance.

"When did you turn it off?" Klaus asked confused.

"After my mom died." Caroline answered and he was stunned while Rebekah just looked surprised.

"I'm sorry to hear of her passing." Klaus said sincerely and she gave him a nod.

"How long did you have it off?" Rebekah asked nosily.

"A few weeks." Caroline replied, visibly kind of amused by their grilling.

"How did you turn it back on?" Rebekah queried.

"My mom left me a letter to read after she was dead and Stefan burned it to invoke an emotional response." Caroline answered and they were shocked that Stefan would do something so utterly _wretched_ to her. "Then he mind-manipulated me to experience a memory of my mom and that's when it came back." She remarked.

"Did he make a photocopy of the letter?" Klaus asked confused.

"No." Caroline denied. "I'll never know what it said." Caroline said a little bitterly and they were a bit wide-eyed.

"Is that why you left?" Rebekah checked.

"No. It wasn't until almost a year later that I realised just how shitty that was. As soon as I turned it back on I was too heartbroken about my mom being dead and wallowing over all the people I killed with it off to really focus on what a douchebag Stefan is. I was lost for a year but I snapped out of it then ditched them." Caroline detailed.

"Well, if that wasn't the catalyst, what was?" Klaus tested and Caroline stared at him.

"I was pregnant." Caroline confessed stunning them both.

"You have a child?" Rebekah gasped.

"No. It wasn't my pregnancy." Caroline denied confusing them.

"What do you mean?" Klaus asked with furrowed brows.

"A couple of weeks after I turned it back on was Alaric's wedding. He was marrying a witch who was pregnant with his twins. At their wedding her brother showed up and murdered her, so at the last second, her powerful father moved her twins into me since I was the only one that survived given that I'm a vampire." Caroline began, shocking them. "I was full of hormones that made me… different." She frowned as she looked into her glass. "So anyway, after I was done being an incubator and I came to terms with my mom's death, I realised just how fucked up that all was, so I told Alaric to go fuck himself, found a good home for the twins then compelled him to forget the supernatural world and disappear so that Damon couldn't find him to remove the compulsion." She detailed surprising them. "Damon was _mad_ but whatever. Nobody's going to find him where I dumped him." She quipped and they smirked at that.

"You dumped Damon somewhere?" Klaus asked smirking.

"I'll never know what my mother's letter said and Stefan will never know what happened to Damon. Seems even to me." Caroline shrugged.

"I didn't take you for a vengeful type." Rebekah smirked.

"Everyone has their line, Rebekah." Caroline replied darkly and they both kind of stared at her - this was not the perky baby vamp they were used to dealing with in Mystic Falls. She'd clearly grown up a hell of a lot in just a couple of years.

"Won't Bonnie be able to do a locator spell on him?" Klaus tested.

"Damon turned her into a vampire. So no." Caroline denied, surprising them both.

"Then why isn't Bonnie with you?" Rebekah tested.

"Because there was another cure. Elena drank it and Bonnie drank it out of Elena, so they're both human, but because her magic was stripped after being a vampire, the cure didn't bring it back. She's _just_ human now." Caroline answered surprising them both.

"I'm surprised you would tell Nik that Elena's human." Rebekah commented.

"Did you miss the part where I don't give a crap about them?" Caroline asked dryly and Rebekah smirked while Klaus felt quite worried about her because Caroline didn't just _not care_ anymore.

"But why? You would have died for Elena. I saw you kill to save Bonnie." Klaus reminded her and Caroline shrugged.

"I was young and my loyalty was misplaced. It happens. I'm sure at some point as a human you loved your father until you learned to know better." Caroline countered and Rebekah stiffened expecting Klaus to explode at the extremely personal thing she said to him - and was shocked when he just nodded because it was true.

"So you know better than to trust them now?" Klaus queried.

"Yup." Caroline confirmed then took a drink.

"Are you staying?" Klaus asked hesitantly and Caroline looked at him confused.

"Why would I stay in New Orleans? It's supernatural central which I'm sure makes it supernatural _drama_ central. I'd be content to disappear and never speak to another vampire again." Caroline muttered and they both stared at her for that.

"Something is wrong with you." Rebekah observed.

"No, Rebekah, there isn't. I'm just done with all the bullshit. I'm done being taken for granted, used, tortured and unappreciated. There are only so many brushes with death the universe will allow and I'm probably out of chances. I'm not risking my life for _anyone_ ever again." Caroline declared bluntly and they glanced at each other because it was disconcerting seeing Caroline so _cold_.

"Then why did you steal the stake from Estelle?" Rebekah asked just as bluntly.

"That was hardly risking my life. She's an idiot." Caroline said dryly and they both chuckled at that.

"But there's no supernatural drama here now. We've sorted it out and have it under control. You'd be safe here now." Klaus guaranteed.

"You can't even protect your compound from being invaded by a baby vamp, how are you going to secure it against an attack if one happened?" Caroline countered and they stared at her.

"There's normally a guard detail. We've just had no problems for over two years that I think they relax a little." Rebekah interjected. "But that'll be fixed by tomorrow." She declared.

"What did you want from the witch in Vegas?" Klaus asked intently and Caroline took a sip of her drink.

"She cut all blood ties to my sire." Caroline revealed stunning them…

* * *

 _Let me know what you think if you have a minute :-)_

 _Chapter 2 should be up soon._


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any of the show characters._

 _A/N: In this chapter there are a few fix-it's from the show that weren't to my preference. I will be changing some things here and there to suit the story._

 _Thank you to those of you who reviewed, that was very kind of you :)_

* * *

 **THIS PHOTOGRAPH**

 **Chapter 2**

* * *

"You're cut off from my blood line now?" Klaus asked a bit taken aback.

"Yup. If you die, I won't." Caroline confirmed and they were wide-eyed.

"Why did you do that?" Rebekah asked confused as there was even less reason for her to hand over the white oak stake when her bloodline no longer existed to threaten her life.

"Because I was asked to join this nest in Germany not long after I left Mystic Falls. I stayed with them for a little while and this old vampire showed up one day freaking out." Caroline detailed.

"About?" Klaus tested.

"You." Caroline nodded to Klaus confusing them further.

"Why?" Klaus queried arching a brow.

"He's sired by one of your old vampires who told him that you'd fallen in love with a human, you risked your life to save hers and if she got you killed, we were all going to die because everyone in the nest was from your line." Caroline answered stunning them both. "So the entire nest split up and started visiting every witch they could find trying to break the blood lines." Caroline continued. "As far as I know, I'm the only one who succeeded but word is spreading that all vampires die if the originals die, so it's only a matter of time before the witches start rallying because they keep getting pestered and threatened by vampires." She detailed and they gaped at her, knowing that scores of witches could cause huge problems for them.

"What vampire started that?" Klaus asked fuming.

"The vampire that showed up is called Gerardo but his sire who told him about it is called Lucien if that rings any bells." Caroline informed him and Klaus looked fit to be tied.

"So you broke your line because of this _rumour_?" Rebekah asked Caroline confused.

"Rumour or not, the blabby vampire has caused a panic, so I didn't see any point in dying just because Klaus wants to play with his food." Caroline retorted and Rebekah sniggered while Klaus deadpanned.

"You can't honestly say you believed that." Klaus scoffed.

"Why not? You saved me from Alaric when he had the super stake." Caroline reminded him and he stared at her. "You saved me from the council in Tyler's body when you were easily killed in that body." She pointed out and his lips pursed while Rebekah shot him a look at the reminder he'd left her behind. "Rebekah's been in love like 7000 times and according to Katherine so has Elijah, so why would you be different?" She asked and Rebekah rolled her eyes while Klaus scowled at her. "Some people who've seen you in action before think the rumour is the most ridiculous thing they've ever heard and they don't believe it, they even laugh at the notion of you being capable of caring about anything but yourself, but it wasn't ridiculous to _me_ after my own experience with you, so I took precautions. You'd have done the same thing and you know it." Caroline shrugged.

"It is _not_ true." Klaus declared very seriously.

"I'm no longer linked to your blood line, I'm free, what makes you think I give a crap if it's true or not?" Caroline asked him blankly and he shot her a look while Rebekah smirked.

"I still want you to know it's not true." Klaus interjected.

"Are you going to tell anyone else the name of the witch who severed your blood ties?" Rebekah queried.

"Won't matter." Caroline remarked taking a sip.

"Why?" Rebekah pushed confused.

"Because I killed her after it was done." Caroline admitted stunning them both.

"You did?" Rebekah asked a bit taken aback as that was rather out of character for her.

"Couldn't have anyone else going to her, could I?" Caroline asked and they glanced at each other because she was too… dismissive and uncaring about it. Like she was trying to convince herself more than them.

"How did she break it?" Klaus tested and Caroline sighed then pulled out a pencil from her bag.

"Is that enough wood to kill a vampire if it goes through the heart?" Caroline queried and they both nodded - then she stuck it into her own chest, through her heart with a deadpan expression making Klaus flinch and their jaws fell open when _nothing happened_.

"She made you like us." Rebekah gasped in understanding as Caroline pulled the pencil out of her chest again then tossed it aside uncaring.

"If that stake can kill you as well then why did you give it to Rebekah?" Klaus asked confused.

"She didn't kill me when I was nothing but a distracting baby vampire, so why would I be worried about her killing me _now_ when I'm minding my own business?" Caroline countered doubtfully and he conceded that she had a point while Rebekah smirked at her sass.

"Where are you living now?" Rebekah queried.

"Nowhere permanent." Caroline answered.

"Well, where's your next stop?" Rebekah pushed and Caroline shrugged.

"I haven't really thought about it. I figured I'd just go to the airport and get on whatever plane is leaving." She said startling them both.

"You hate spontaneity." Klaus said confused.

"I did." Caroline agreed. "But now I don't care." She sighed. "I have nowhere to be so what does it matter where I go or what I do?" She asked rhetorically and they stared at her with furrowed brows.

"Was that the only stake, Caroline?" Klaus interrogated and she stared into his eyes.

"No." Caroline denied.

"Why are you keeping one?" Klaus asked her looking worried.

"Because I can't just take my ring off and burn in the sun anymore. That _witch_ ensured that." Caroline muttered irritated.

"You're keeping one to _kill_ yourself?" Rebekah gasped in horror, unable to understand why anyone would do that.

"Eventually." Caroline nodded. "I'm not talking _now_. I'm talking centuries from now once I'm fed up with everything." She pointed out and they stared at her because her behaviour was weirding them out.

"So you didn't ask to become an original?" Rebekah understood.

"Of course not. I have no idea why anyone would want to be truly immortal." Caroline muttered and they glanced at each other.

"You'll change your mind. None of us have wanted to die." Rebekah remarked.

"But despite the fact you're all still single, have no friends because you don't trust anyone and spend your lives trying to irritate each other, you still _have_ each other." Caroline retorted and they couldn't exactly refute her blunt comment because it was painfully true.

"Then stay." Klaus invited like it was obvious.

"And do what?" Caroline asked flatly.

"Like you said, you have nowhere to be and nothing to do, so why not stay here where you _will_ have somewhere to be and things to do?" Klaus countered and she arched a brow at him.

"Like?" Caroline pushed.

"I know you, Caroline Forbes." Klaus told her very seriously. "I know that you miss the planning, the organising, the delegating, the decision-making _and_ bossing your minions around." He stated like it was just a fact and she couldn't exactly dispute it either. "We control the supernatural element here." He continued. "You might be pushing it away for the moment but your youth allows you to still be full of humanity." He pointed out. "That is something that we lack and could do with some help in." He put forward.

"As much as I hate having to agree with anything Niklaus says, he's right about that. He doesn't understand younger people, nor this generation but you do. And you're mentally and now physically able to fight him when he's wrong." Rebekah remarked and Klaus shot her an amused look for that. "Unlike everyone else, you fear nothing. You never have." She pointed out.

"Never is a stretch but becoming a vampire removed my fear." Caroline shrugged one shoulder.

"Do you really fear _nothing_?" Klaus asked her curiously.

"My worst fears have all come true already, so I'm left with none." Caroline frowned. "So, yes. I fear _nothing_." Caroline confirmed honestly. "It's quite freeing because you can't be let down, disappointed or hurt when you don't have any expectations." She mumbled and they stared at her again, finding her quite disconcerting like this.

"No expectations then. Stay for a trial period. A year. If you don't like it, go do whatever you were planning to do." Klaus proposed and they both knew that his 'year' thing was a bunch of crap.

"I'm not going to make a year deal with you Klaus. I'll stay because I do miss those things but I'm not tying myself down here for a year if I hate it." Caroline cautioned and despite it not being what he wanted to hear, her staying _was_ what he wanted. "Don't you have a kid with Hayley?" She remembered.

"No, turns out I'm not her father. It was all a plan with the witches to take me down. No matter. Hayley's dead and the child is living in safety with a nice witch couple who will let her lead a relatively normal safe life." Klaus informed her unconcerned.

"Fair enough." Caroline shrugged then took another sip of her drink and Klaus kind of hated that she was so… uncaring. He'd prefer her yelling at him for drunkenly shagging Hayley over not caring enough to comment.

"Have you ever checked on the twins?" Rebekah queried.

"No. I compelled their neighbours to let me know if they suspect foul play but I've never gotten a call, so I assume they're fine." Caroline answered.

"Was it hard giving them up?" Rebekah asked quietly and Caroline considered that.

"The only reason I didn't have an abortion is because vampire enhanced pregnancy hormones make you like a Stepford wife. While I was carrying them, I was convinced that I would be their mother, I built them a nursery and planned out their infancy because the hormones clouded my judgement _immensely_ and I was physically unable to have my own thoughts or feelings about it because everything was just sunshine and rainbows. As soon as they were out of me, my body healed back to normal, all the hormones disappeared then I realised just how fucked up everything was and I couldn't even look at them. So, no. Giving them up wasn't hard. Not becoming a mass murdering psychopath after the violation of my mind and body was hard." Caroline replied frankly and Rebekah grimaced while Klaus frowned, wanting so badly to help her get back to herself, to make her happy - to bring _his_ Caroline back, even if it meant losing her. "I hope they grow up to be good people and have a happy life, but otherwise, I don't give a crap. They will never be able to contact me, nor would I ever want contact with them."

"Did you kill Alaric?" Klaus asked arching a brow and Caroline stared at him.

"Not exactly." Caroline muttered.

"You turned him." Klaus understood. "Then what?"

"He's where Damon is." Caroline advised.

"Which is where?" Rebekah pushed.

"Why would I tell you that? Stefan's been looking for Damon every day since I got rid of him." Caroline commented.

"I'm not going to tell Stefan." Rebekah said like it was obvious.

"Let's just say that he's somewhere Stefan will never be able to go and leave it at that." Caroline replied and they glanced at each other, finding themselves particularly eager to know what she'd done with Damon and Alaric.

"How were you able to go somewhere Stefan can't?" Rebekah asked nosily.

"Being pregnant with the witch babies left me with a side effect." Caroline sighed.

"What side effect?" Klaus asked surprised and Caroline looked over at the table next to theirs then concentrated on the unlit candle.

"Incendia." Caroline said - then the candle flamed high and they gaped at her in shock.

"You're a witch?" Rebekah gasped in disbelief and Caroline waved her hand then the flame went out again.

"Apparently." Caroline muttered unimpressed then took another sip of her drink stunning them.

"You don't want to be?" Rebekah asked confused - she'd kill to have her powers back.

"No, Rebekah. I was quite happy being an unimportant little baby vamp and now I'm stuck as an original vampire with Gemini coven powers because their stupid grandfather messed up the spell clearly and instead of the magic passing onto them when they were cut out of me, it all stayed with me. Both babies are non-magical humans when they were supposed to be Gemini twin witches." Caroline retorted and they were stunned because the Gemini coven had _huge_ power which in turn made Caroline just as dangerous as them - maybe even more so.

"Have you been learning about magic?" Klaus asked fascinated.

"At first I tried to ignore it then random magic kept happening, so I practiced a little just to figure out how to control it but that…" She pointed to the candle. "Is the first magic I've done in months." She replied surprising them.

"You really don't care about power at all, do you?" Rebekah realised.

"Nope." Caroline denied.

"Are you interested in developing your magic at all?" Klaus asked curiously.

"Why?" Caroline arched a brow.

"Because my other sister Freya is an immortal witch and has been since we were human, she would no doubt happily teach you if you'd like." Klaus suggested supportively and Caroline considered that.

"Is she as strong as your mom?" Caroline tested.

"Likely." Rebekah nodded. "It's difficult to measure." She remarked. "Why?"

"I'm wondering if she'd be strong enough to remove it." Caroline replied surprising them both.

"You want it removed?" Rebekah asked wide-eyed.

"Three witches have already tried to remove it for me, the first one died, the second one slept for like three days after trying her hardest and the third one gave up after like six hours with nothing to show for it." Caroline muttered stunning them.

"You've been seeking out witches to remove your power?" Klaus asked her concerned.

"Do you know what'll happen if word gets out that there's an original vampire with Gemini magic? There'll be like 45 million witches following me around trying to kill me." Caroline said irritated. "I might physically be _able_ to be a threat but it's _me_ , for God's sake. What am I going to do? Take over a country and make them all my personal shoppers?" She muttered and they both chuckled at that - both relieved to see that while kind of cold, at least she still had minimal darkness.

"Well, if memory serves, the Gemini coven was one of the first magical covens in the world and the merging of the twins' power was to elect a clan leader in order to protect the witches of _all_ covens, not just the Gemini coven. Technically given that you possess the last set of twins' power… _you_ are the Gemini clan leader." Klaus informed and Caroline stared at him wide-eyed. "So, technically… witches should be loyal to you if they follow witch law. You'll probably be more in danger from _other_ supernaturals, not so much witches." He pointed out. "Perhaps a couple of dark covens who'd want to possess the power for themselves, but I can easily take a dark coven out. Don't worry about it, love." He waved his hand unconcerned and Rebekah chuckled at him while Caroline's brows furrowed.

"Well… wouldn't it be better if Freya took the power and _she_ could be the clan leader? Since I don't have the slightest clue but she's been a witch forever?" She questioned.

"While there's logic in your idea, it's likely not possible to remove your power _because_ it's Gemini magic. And you must have had some magic of your own to begin with to be able to keep the merged twins' power _without_ killing them. Merged witches normally die when their power is absorbed by their twin." Rebekah explained.

"Yeah, I know." Caroline sighed. "How could I have my own magic?" Caroline asked confused.

"You were born in Mystic Falls, a town built over converging lei lines or what is termed in modern days as a 'hot spot' for supernatural activity. There are very few places with such convergence, New Orleans specifically over the French Quarter and part of the cemetery being another. Many ordinary humans born in places like that possess a bit of magic but it might not trigger unless it's called for. There are creatures aside from witches that possess magic, such as various fae or what are termed natural spirits, like druids that are tree spirits or nymphs that are water spirits. There are many many types of supernatural creatures in the world and simple witches and werewolves are not the only types in Mystic Falls. It's very likely that someone in your family line was something else." Klaus detailed and Caroline was kind of intrigued by that.

"In fact, you might have some fairy blood what with your aptitude for survival through disadvantageous odds and ability to wield witch magic. Fairies have high intelligence, learn things very quickly and often have very detailed memories." Rebekah explained and Caroline considered that.

"That would be you." Klaus agreed.

"How do you know I have a detailed memory?" Caroline arched a brow at him.

"Your neuroticism." Klaus smirked.

"How is that an indicator?" Caroline asked doubtfully and he smiled a dimpled smile at her.

"How many birds do I have tattooed on my shoulder?" Klaus asked her and she stared at him then recalled the image in her mind, remembering every line of it like she was seeing it in front of her.

"Nine full birds unless you count the little 'V' embedded in the side of the feather, in which case it's ten." Caroline answered and he winked at her while Rebekah was kind of curious.

"When did you see Niklaus's tattoo?" Rebekah asked confused.

"We had sex in the woods for like eight hours that time the two of you visited when Katherine was dying." Caroline smirked and Rebekah gaped at them while Klaus chuckled at that.

"What?" Rebekah gasped in shock.

"Surprised you didn't hear us. He's as loud as a steamship." Caroline quipped taking a drink and Klaus laughed while Rebekah chuckled in disbelief.

"Am not." Klaus defended amused. "You were hardly silent yourself, sweetheart." He smirked cheekily.

" _That's_ why you were in such a good mood for weeks?" Rebekah asked him amused and he rolled his eyes while Caroline giggled at that.

"He was?" Caroline smirked.

"Yes. He showed someone _mercy_." Rebekah said wide-eyed and Caroline chuckled in disbelief.

"So I fucked the bad out of you for a few days?" Caroline teased and they both laughed loudly at the blunt blonde.

"Do you remember what you said? When the sun was setting?" Klaus asked her with a small smile and her eyes met his for a second -

 _C: I wish things were different._

 _K: They can be. Just come with me and we'll make it work. I will spend forever trying to make you happy._

 _C: I can't leave my mom here alone. You know that. She'd be dead in two minutes because nobody but me would make her a priority._

 _K: Then come find me when she no longer needs you._

 _C: I will… And then forever?_

 _K: And then forever._

"No, I don't remember." Caroline lied and they both knew it.

"You're a terrible liar." Rebekah observed amused and Caroline rolled her eyes.

"My brain was mush. I'm not responsible for anything I said. It's all his fault for the thousand year old moves that disabled brain function." Caroline muttered and they both chuckled.

"Mush or not, I'm holding you to that." Klaus smirked and she gave him a 'haha very funny' expression amusing them both.

"Aren't you dating a blood bag?" Caroline retorted amusing them both.

"No. I told you it was rubbish." Klaus reminded her. "I had a human… sort of friend. She was good to talk to, but nothing ever happened and Lucien took me not wanting to eat her as something else." He detailed.

"This is the problem when you have no friends. People think something's afoot when you make one." Caroline said dryly and they both laughed at her mocking him.

"Besides, she's dead, what does it matter?" Rebekah shrugged and Caroline rolled her eyes.

"And as you're no longer in Mystic Falls, I am no longer bound by my word." Klaus teased mischievously amusing Rebekah.

"So, what? You're going to chase me to the ends of the earth?" Caroline questioned dryly amusing them both.

"If I have to." Klaus smirked making Rebekah chuckle at her sappy brother.

"How do you know I won't just trap you magically in a room that only plays Neil Diamond and Eric Clapton music forever?" Caroline smirked back and he grimaced at the thought of that.

"You are not that evil." Klaus refuted amusing Rebekah that Caroline clearly knew him better than Rebekah had thought.

"Yeah, I kind of get that. If one more person sings Sweet Caroline to me, I'm going to eat them." Caroline muttered making them chuckle.

"I will never have that issue." Klaus said smugly and Caroline's expression turned wicked as she smirked.

"You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I'm telling you why, Santa _Klaus_ is coming to town." Caroline sang deviously and Klaus deadpanned while Rebekah was in peals of laughter.

"You are kidding." Klaus said flatly.

"He's making a list, and checking it twice, Gonna find out who's naughty and nice, Santa _Klaus_ is coming to town." Caroline sang amused and Rebekah was in stitches.

"Caroline." Klaus groaned.

"He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake." Caroline giggled and Klaus face-palmed.

"Please. Stop." Klaus groaned.

"Santa _Klaus_ is coming to toooown." Caroline sang grinning and Rebekah was slapping the table as she laughed.

"I love it!" Rebekah laughed and Klaus scowled at his sister.

"This will never be repeated." Klaus declared.

"Up on the housetop reindeer pause, out jumps good old Santa _Klaus_ , down through the chimney with lots of toys, all for the little girls and boys." Caroline sang with a chipper grin and Klaus's eyes narrowed at her while Rebekah was in stitches. "Ho ho ho! Who wouldn't go? Ho ho ho! Who wouldn't go? Up on the housetop, click, click, click, down through the chimney with old Saint Nik." Caroline sang teasingly.

"And that's enough." Klaus rolled his eyes and they both chuckled.

"Sure you still want me to stay? Because Christmas is going to be _full_ of Christmas carols." Caroline grinned and he chuckled in disbelief - though he was enjoying seeing some of her cold front disappearing as she seemed already more like the chipper Caroline he remembered all too well.

"We should get him to dress up as Santa." Rebekah told Caroline amused and Caroline laughed at the thought of that while Klaus glared at Rebekah for putting that idea out there.

"Yeah, no, we shouldn't encourage children to talk to Klaus." Caroline denied making Rebekah laugh while Klaus shot her an amused look.

"I have never killed a child." Klaus pointed out.

"You might if anyone of them calls you Santa Klaus." Caroline giggled mischievously and he deadpanned while Rebekah laughed.

"Why are you trying to annoy me?" Klaus complained amusing them both.

"You love it. Like anyone outside your family is reckless enough to purposely try to annoy you, Mr Famous Crazy Pants." Caroline smirked and he chuckled in disbelief while Rebekah laughed heartily because it was so true.

"I'd far prefer you just _talk_ to me without the mockery." Klaus said dryly and she giggled.

"You should take it as a compliment." Caroline remarked.

"Why?" Klaus asked confused.

"Because I haven't cared enough to mock anyone in years." Caroline replied and his eyes locked on hers and he understood what she was saying - it was a sign of affection from her.

"Aww, look at that, Nik. She does like you. Sometimes." Rebekah teased and Klaus deadpanned at her while Caroline snickered.

"Nah, unfortunately it's all the time." Caroline sighed like it was such a travesty making Klaus flash her a grin while Rebekah chuckled in surprise.

"Why?" Rebekah asked amused.

"Must be the adorable dimples." Caroline winked and Rebekah laughed loudly while Klaus groaned in disbelief.

"And back to mocking me." Klaus smirked.

"Like those dimples haven't gotten you away with murder like a million times." Caroline smirked back and he wiggled his brows at her cheekily because he knew fine well how charming he could be when he put his mind to it. "It highly amuses me that the most dangerous monster on the earth looks like such a cute baby-faced dimpled little cherub." Caroline teased and Rebekah was in hysterics at that while Klaus face-palmed again chuckling in disbelief.

"I do not." Klaus said disbelieving but still chuckling at the _gall_ of her - he'd missed her _so much_.

"Do so." Caroline quipped taking a sip of her nearly empty cocktail.

"Oh really." Klaus smirked then changed his face, baring the monster and Caroline looked at him with curiosity.

"Ooh. Scary." Caroline smirked back and Rebekah sniggered while Klaus rolled his eyes as his face reverted back to normal while Caroline waved to the server. "Another Tom Collins?" She asked Rebekah who nodded with a smile then the waitress appeared. "Hi, can I have a Tom Collins, a strawberry daiquiri with raspberry Absolute instead of rum and…" She smirked at Klaus. "A Sidecar cocktail made with Croizer cognac and cointreau not triple sec?" She bid and Klaus smirked impressed then the waitress nodded, turned and left.

"My favourite drink ever?" Klaus arched a brow at her amused while Rebekah grinned with amusement - how had she missed all of this bonding between them? When did that happen?

"Think of it as an advance apology for all the drunken Christmas carols I'll sing with your name in it now that I've realised it." She teased and he made a noise of complaint.

"Well. I'm clearly going to have to compel everyone in New Orleans to not notice that." Klaus commented and they both laughed at the fact he'd do that before he'd try to stop Caroline in any way…

* * *

 _A/N: There'll be more plot and furthering the story as we go on, I just wanted to get the catch up out of the way. Also, like I said in CH1, this is going to be an established relationship story and seeing how their love story develops in it's ups and downs, it's not a build up to relationship story._

 _Let me know what you think, I really appreciate constructive criticism :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries._

 _A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the chapters, that's very kind of you :)_

 _Just a couple of things:_

 _1) No, Caroline doesn't have her humanity off, she's gone a bit numb from some things that happened, it'll make sense soon I promise._

 _2) I do have a big chunk of this story written already as I do with the other two stories I've published, but I work full time and have to travel 3 hours per day to my job and back on top of it so I don't have a ton of time unfortunately. I'll update when I can, but it'll probably be once a week or once a fortnight._

 _3) For those wondering about Kol/Rebekah they'll interact next chapter._

 _Hope you enjoy! :)_

* * *

 **THIS PHOTOGRAPH**

 **Chapter 3**

* * *

They merrily wandered back to the compound hours later and Caroline didn't even see Rebekah leave before she was pinned against a wall with a frisky hybrid flush against her giving her a cheeky smile as she stared up at him.

"I've missed you, love." Klaus admitted.

"Likewise." Caroline replied.

"Were you flirting with me?" Klaus smirked.

"I don't know. I can never tell with you if it's flirting or if that's just how we speak to each other." Caroline replied amused and he chuckled at her.

"So, let's see if I can remember this correctly." Klaus began holding up his thumb. "You are no longer in Mystic Falls." He stated amusing her then he held out his forefinger. "Your mother doesn't need you anymore." He said softer and respectfully while she stared at him then he added his middle finger. "Your friends are not going to disapprove." He remarked and she shot him an amused look for that then he held out his ring finer. "You are _in_ New Orleans." He smirked. "Which ultimately equates to, five." He held up his palm showing all his fingers before his hand affectionately brushed her cheek.

"Which is?" Caroline pushed.

"And then forever." He smirked and she giggled at his reasoning.

"Well, before we go get each other's names tattooed and get married…" She smirked and he chuckled at her. "How about a date or two first?" She arched a brow at him and he gave her a beautiful smile.

"Only two dates until the wedding? How archaic of you, love." He teased and she laughed and nudged him. "As many dates as time will allow." He smiled at her fondly and she couldn't help returning it a little then she sighed.

"Damn you're smooth." Caroline said dryly.

"I'm not trying to be smooth. I've just missed you terribly." Klaus replied fondly.

"Klaus." Caroline sighed.

"Yes?" He asked amused.

"Just kiss me already." Caroline bid and he smiled delighted then complied, crashing his lips to hers as her arms locked around his neck and she kissed him back with reckless abandon…

* * *

XXXXX

* * *

Caroline's eyes fluttered open as the first rays of sunlight entered Klaus's bedroom and she felt little kisses being put on the back of her neck making her giggle.

"What are you doing?" Caroline asked sleepily as his arm pulled her closer and he put more kisses up the column of her neck, just soft little light affectionate ones.

"Enjoying your presence." Klaus replied softly then kept doing it making her smile as she leaned back into him and covered his hands that rested over her torso and he laced their fingers. Caroline then had a thought and was curious about how strong she was. She smirked then in a blink had his arms pinned up by his head as she sat at his hips above him and he shot her an amused look. "You're much stronger than before but I still have a thousand years on you, love." Klaus teased and she cocked her head to the side then concentrated.

"Vincula." Caroline purred using her magic and his eyes widened comically as she let go of his hands and he tried to move his arms but couldn't making her grin deviously. _[physical restraints, bonds]_

"You… that's cheating." Klaus said disbelieving making her giggle.

"So is being a thousand years older than me." Caroline teased and he chuckled in disbelief.

"You can't do this outside of the bedroom." Klaus pointed out and she rolled her eyes amused.

"Unlike when you first showed up in Mystic Falls, I don't actually wish you a moment of harm, Klaus." Caroline countered and he gave her a small smile for that. "Now are you going to relax and let me have my way with you?" She teased and he chuckled.

"By all means, love." Klaus smirked and she flashed him a grin for being cool then kissed him and he kissed her back heatedly as her hand wrapped around him and he grunted. She massaged him as they kissed then he groaned when she climbed down his body and took him into her mouth. "I think I like the latin bonds." Klaus mumbled making her chuckle around him…

* * *

XXXXX

* * *

Later, when she'd successfully turned his brain to mush, Caroline's hands wrapped around his wrists then she concentrated.

"Exsolutus." Caroline said using her magic. Klaus felt that he was free again and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he kissed her. "Weirded out?" She tested and he shrugged with a small smile.

"I have to trust you, right?" Klaus asked her and she gave him a small smile.

"Trust is earned." Caroline pointed out.

"I gave you the opportunity to do so and you did earn it when you released me." Klaus replied honestly and her smile widened.

"I'll give you the opportunity too." Caroline promised and he smiled back, pleased that she was going to try just as he was.

"Perhaps we should discuss some guidelines?" Klaus suggested and she knew that they'd need to have those to make things work.

"Klaus, I'm…" She glanced down.

"Is that too fast?" Klaus tested, wondering if he'd jumped to conclusions about their relationship status changing.

"No, no." She shook her head. "That's not what I was getting at." She said then considered how to word it. "I'm naturally insecure, I'm jealous and possessive and maybe even kind of clingy." She admitted and he watched her because all of those things applied to him as well.

"There's not going to be anyone else." Klaus commented confused. "I'm not the unfaithful type." He assured sincerely.

"I didn't think you were." Caroline replied honestly because she didn't. "I just… don't try to make me jealous because all that'll happen is I won't trust you and I'll retreat." She admitted and he shook his head.

"I won't." He said sincerely. "I'm the same, you know." He commented.

"I won't do that either." Caroline promised and he gave her a small smile.

"Is that it? Your only rule?" Klaus questioned curiously.

"I guess I'd prefer if we didn't lie to each other. I'd rather you tell me bluntly that you don't want to tell me something than you make up something else." She admitted.

"Same." He agreed. "Anything else?" He queried and she considered that.

"Not that I can think of." She shrugged surprising him.

"I was sure some kind of 'no killing people' rule would be in there somewhere." He smirked and she shot him an amused look.

"Klaus, I'm not an idiot." Caroline retorted making him laugh.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Klaus asked amused.

"While I would prefer the death to be kept to a minimum, I'm not under any delusions about who and what you are nor who and what _I_ am. If I think something was unnecessary, you know I'll tell you, but otherwise… I accept you. Monster and all." She admitted and he melted inside.

"You do?" He asked her with a small sappy smile and she giggled at his expression.

"Yes." Caroline agreed amused. "I mean, obviously when you go hunting people for food, I'd rather you ate… I don't know… a rapist or something. Someone who deserves it." She said. "But I also know that like you said, you've been on this planet for a millennium. You're not going to give me shit for mainly drinking from bags, so I'm not going to give you shit for your diet either." She said honestly and he kissed her because he couldn't help it. When he pulled away, his hand gently caressed her cheek as he watched her with a smile.

"I suppose hunting down a rapist would be more fun than shooting fish in a barrel." Klaus smirked and she flashed him a grin.

"Well, if you're going to do that, I'll come with you and we can hunt together." Caroline replied and he smiled surprised.

"Sold." Klaus agreed and she smiled surprised.

"Since when are you so reasonable?" Caroline teased.

"You are being more than reasonable with me, so I'm merely returning the favour." Klaus pointed out.

"What's Elijah like?" Caroline asked surprising him.

"Why?" Klaus tested doubtfully.

"I'm the only one who never had a conversation with him. I've never properly met him, so I don't know what to expect more than what I've heard second hand." Caroline detailed and he considered what to say.

"He's… a snob. He believes his opinion to be superior and he always knows best because he's the noble brother with a moral compass. Well, at least he thinks so." Klaus said dryly amusing her. "Elijah is very cold, manipulative and difficult to get a read on unless you've known him forever. He believes himself to be caring but I don't really see it." Klaus commented making her chuckle. "He's very well read, he's spent a lot of time travelling and reading, so there isn't much on this planet that he doesn't know at least _something_ about." He said as he thought about it. "Oh and he has a way of stabbing you in the back while making it seem like it's all your fault." He shrugged one shoulder.

"So I take it you two aren't getting along great." Caroline deduced.

"I find him to be insufferable at least half the time." Klaus replied amusing her.

"Katherine described him as an other worldly gentleman with class, grace and good taste who you never turn your back on because you can never know for sure if he'll protect your back or rip your heart out." Caroline smirked and he chuckled at that description.

"Quite accurate actually." Klaus agreed. "He does come across very gentlemanly and certainly a lot of women seem to be drawn to his clothing style with the suits and whatever." Klaus commented.

"Yeah, Elena said that she found the suits really attractive." Caroline agreed.

"And you?" Klaus smirked.

"I prefer your artsy bohemian hippie style." She giggled and he chuckled in disbelief.

"I do not dress like a hippie." Klaus refuted highly amused.

"The colourful henleys with the necklaces and always some kind of paint either on your jeans, boots or shirt? Yeah, you kind of do." She teased and he chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"I wear what is comfortable." Klaus pointed out amused.

"And I'm not teasing you. I told you I like it." Caroline countered with a grin.

"Bloody hippie." Klaus muttered making her laugh. "Do you like me in a suit?" He queried curiously.

"You look very dapper in a suit." Caroline confirmed. "But I think suits are kind of boring in general."

"So do I. They're like a uniform." He remarked amusing her.

"Yeah." She agreed. "Though your dinner suit at the ball was beautiful. You looked amazing in that." She remembered and he smiled surprised.

"You fancied me at the ball?" He teased and she giggled.

"I spent the entire ball repeating 'Klaus is evil, you can not be attracted to him' in my head like a mantra." Caroline teased back and he chuckled at her.

"Still think I'm evil?" Klaus asked with a little smile.

"No, I stopped thinking you were evil when you came to give me blood on my birthday." She replied surprising him.

"Quite the little actress then, aren't you?" He smirked.

"I had a boyfriend and you just sashayed in and expected me to drop him and be with you." Caroline reminded him and he chuckled.

"Took a little longer than I'd hoped but I did get my way, didn't I?" He smirked and she chuckled in disbelief then smacked his arm making him laugh.

"Yeah, well, don't expect to get your way all the time." Caroline directed making him chuckle.

"I don't." Klaus replied fondly. "I think we're going to fight like cat and dog because we're both controlling and used to things being done the way we want them, so compromising will be a complicated endeavour and a learned skill over time."

"Yeah, I can see that." Caroline agreed amused. "I think it'll be a case of picking our battles as well."

"As long as you don't decorate my art room in bright yellow or pink, I'll agree to that." He smirked and she shot him an amused look.

"Your art room is _your_ art room. I'm not even going to go in there unless you ask me to." Caroline pointed out surprising him.

"You never need permission to go anywhere, love." Klaus told her confused.

"I don't mean it like that, Klaus. I'm an only child, I respect people's privacy. Your art is personal to you, so I'm not just going to invade your private space just like I wouldn't expect you to go through my stuff or my phone or whatever." She said with a shrug and he saw her point.

"But you'll sleep in here with me, right?" Klaus tested.

"You don't think we should have separate rooms for a while?" Caroline asked curiously.

"If you would like your own space, that's absolutely fine with me." Klaus said sincerely. "The room next door to mine is empty, so you can have that and do with it whatever you like." He offered. "But I still hope that you'll sleep with me." He said sincerely and she gave him a small smile.

"In that case, you'll need a new bed. If it's going to be _our_ bed, it can't be a bed where you've had other people in it." Caroline pointed out.

"I'll have a new bed in here by the end of the day." Klaus promised her and she gave him a smile for that. "What would you like to do today?" He asked, putting a kiss on her palm making her stomach flutter because she liked affection - she still kind of couldn't believe that they were actually in a relationship.

"You never told me your rules." Caroline remembered surprising him.

"Same as yours. Honestly and loyalty." Klaus replied with a shrug and she stared at him for a second then rolled off of him and reached down to grab her bag and brought it up to the space next to him and he watched in curiosity… then she pulled out the other stake surprising him.

"I was planning to magically trap it somewhere so that nobody but me could ever access it." Caroline advised, looking at the stake, a bit surprised that he hadn't tensed. "But considering it's as dangerous to you as it is to me… maybe we should both decide what to do with it." She put forward surprising him.

"I thought you wanted to keep it as your out?" Klaus arched a brow at her.

"I do." Caroline agreed.

"Then don't offer me that because I'll burn it to ash. I'm never going to be alright with you keeping that to one day take yourself away from me." Klaus told her bluntly and she stared at him.

"You might get bored in like a year and not care anymore." Caroline pointed out.

"Hardly." Klaus refuted dryly.

"Your sister tensed when I pulled the other one out." Caroline commented.

"You're not going to kill me." Klaus said unconcerned and she shot him an amused look then trailed the point of the stake over his chest watching his eyes and he was still lying completely relaxed.

"Huh." Caroline said curiously and he smirked.

"Why are you surprised?" He queried.

"I was sent to distract you an awful lot." Caroline reminded him and he chuckled.

"And I knew that each time." Klaus countered amused and she sighed then dropped the stake next to him and he picked it up then looked at it. "Ridiculous, isn't it?" He asked absently. "My heart can be ripped from my chest and it'll grow back. My head can be cut off and it'll grow back eventually. I can be burned, drowned, dismembered, disemboweled, shot, stabbed… and everything heals." He said with furrowed brows like he still couldn't understand it. "But this little piece of wood can end it all. How silly that is." He commented. "Don't you think?" He asked her, looking at her.

"Immortality isn't natural, Klaus. There has to be something. Even if it is a trivial piece of wood. Nothing is completely immortal. That's not possible." She said. "Even the planet isn't immortal." She shrugged one shoulder and he frowned.

"I don't want to die." Klaus said. "But I wouldn't want to leave this earth either. If there came a time when humans left, I'd allow death to come for me finally." He admitted.

"That I understand." Caroline agreed. "But I think that'll be thousands of years from now." She opined surprising him.

"You don't think space travel is imminent?" He asked curiously.

"No. With the way the world's politics are going and the unnatural things that scientists are doing, there'll be some kind of reset long before anything like that happens. A devastating nuclear war or some man made apocalyptic virus that'll wipe most humans out or epic natural disasters. At the end of the day, the planet is a living thing. It's not going to let humans destroy it completely but I think humans will destroy themselves before it gets to that." Caroline opined and he considered that.

"You make a very good point." Klaus agreed.

"I wonder if a nuclear bomb could kill us." Caroline said amused and he chuckled at her thought process.

"Perhaps, but I think if someone reassembled all the melted pieces, you'd eventually heal." He smirked and she looked repulsed.

"Gross." Caroline said amused and he winked at her. "You know how the Founder's Council knew about vampires?" She asked and he nodded. "Do governments know about us?"

"Yes, of course. One of the first things that happens when an American president is elected is he's taken to a facility where he's let in on all the little secrets of what goes bump in the night. The American government even has a supernatural task force made up of vampires and witches who work for them and go on certain missions that aren't for public knowledge." He explained surprising her.

"That doesn't bother you?" Caroline queried.

"Yes, but what can I do about it? I would quite literally have to kill thousands and thousands of people in almost every government in the world, I'd have to find out all of their secret operations and disable them all while also taking on thousands of vampires and witches who work for those governments. My siblings don't care about it because it doesn't affect us, so how would I do all of that successfully alone?" He asked and she considered that.

"If the hybrids hadn't been a bust and you'd made yourself a hybrid army, would you have done it then?" She queried.

"Maybe." Klaus sighed at the thought of his useless hybrid experiment.

"How'd they find out?" Caroline queried.

"Stupid vampires like the Salvatores who continue to leave bitten bodies lying around left and right." Klaus said dryly.

"You never did that?" Caroline asked curiously.

"Of course, but when we were leaving bodies lying around, it was centuries before newspapers and media in the middle of nowhere, so by the time the bodies were found they were long decomposed with no way to determine cause of death." Klaus replied and she nodded in understanding. "Though I will have to do something about this rumour that's going around." He commented. "Because if the covens all discover that if we die, all the vampires die, it'll cause them to start looking into ways to magically undo us all." He stated and she nodded.

"Well, I can get in touch with the nest I was in and you can compel them to forget it." She suggested.

"Can you compel vampires?" Klaus asked.

"I honestly don't know. I haven't tried." Caroline replied. "The only plus side is that I know that the few witches they've gone to, as soon as it was deemed that they couldn't help, they killed them, so the witches won't have been spreading that yet." She said. "But who knows how many vampires they've told. I guess you'd have to compel them to find out. If few enough people know it, it could be brushed off as a stupid rumour." She commented and he nodded.

"Would you call them to come here?" Klaus bid.

"I will if you don't kill them." Caroline negotiated. "They might not be my _friends_ exactly, but I do like most of them." She remarked.

"I won't kill them." He shook his head. "I'll just compel them to forget this ordeal and tell anyone they told that it's complete rubbish, that nothing will happen to vampires if we die."

"Mm." She nodded. "Anyway, whatever. What are we doing today?" She asked. "I think you have a corner to show me." She teased fondly and he smiled surprised.

"That I do, love." He agreed. "Shall I put this in my safe until you decide what you're doing with it?" He asked motioning to the stake and she arched a brow at him. "I won't burn it." He smirked. "Yet." He added and she rolled her eyes.

"Fine." Caroline agreed…

* * *

 _A/N: What do you think of their talk?_

 _Next episode - Caroline and Kol butt heads, Caroline reveals her dark secret & Freya takes a personal interest._


End file.
